Cash register



June 30, 1931.

W. H. ROBERTSON CASH REGISTER Filed Aug. 51

. 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 up 17,0 my 7/ 46/ FIG.- 1

y m e vb no H m .w W

W. H. ROBERTSCN CASH REGISTER June 30, 1931.

Filed Aug. 31, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.'4

gwue 'nfoz B William H. Robertson FIG. 5

June 30, 1931.

W. H. ROBERTSON CASH REGISTER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 51, 1928 v gwuantoz William H. Robertson Patented June 30, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM H. ROBERTSON, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONAL CASH REG- ISTER COMPANY, OF DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF MARYLAND CASH REGISTER Application filed August 31, 1928.

This invention'relates to cash registers and like machines, and more particularly'to improvements in indicating mechanisms for such machines.

The invention is applied to a machine of the type illustrated and described in applications for Letters Patent of the United States, Serial Nos. 1063M; 169,583 and 172,660, filed May 3, 1926, February 19, 1927, and March 4, 1927, respectively, by WVilliam H. Robertson.

In the practical manufacture and sale of commercially operable machines, profits depend in great measure on quantity production, which in turn necessitates the setting of standards of measurement according to which the machine is. manufactured. Deviation from the standards set increases the cost of production of the machine. Nevertheless it oft times becomes advisable, after a machine has been designed and marketed, to include added features not originally provided for, and the problem facing the in-: ventor is to design the added feature or features in such manner that they can be fitted within the limits of measurement heretofore set.

The machine to which the present invention is applied Was originally designed with a single set of roller indicators, one indicator roller for each denomination of keys, which indicators were visible from one side of the machine only.

' It being found desirable to display the amount of each entry in proper order from both front and back of the machine, a second set of indicator rollers were arranged in alinement with the first set, the corresponding denominational indicator rollers being connected in a manner well known in the art by concentric or nested tubes.

The machines disclosed in these applications are comparatively small but of high capacity, and to provide each bank of numeral keys in the machine with an indicator of a size to be legible at areasonable distance from the machine, it was found necessary to occupy practically the entire space in the upper part of the machine alotted to the indicating mechanism between the main Serial No. 303,249.

frames of the machine. This axial arrangement of indicators occupied so much space, however, that it was necessary to materially reduce the capacity of the machine, that is, to reduce the number of denominational the space between the side frames of the machine, which would have been costly in the extreme, since the machine was already in production.

. 5 groups or numeral keys to avoid widening Reduction in capacity, however, had its ob- .ent invention to provide the machines of U. S. applications, Serial Nos. 106,454 and I 169,583, above referred to having full keyboard capacity, with a simple and novel in dicator mechanism which would'fit within the confines of such machines, and yet display the amounts set up from both front and back of the machine.

With this and incidental objects in view, the invention includes certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, the essential elements of which are set forth in appended claims and a preferred form or embodiment of which is hereinafter de scribed with reference to the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view through the machine taken approximately on line 11 (Fig. 4) just to the right of and showing in right elevation, the tens of dollars bank of amount keys together with its differential mechanism and indicator setting and aligning mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a detail view of the differential driving mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of one of the. indicators, showing in particular, the

flexible connection between said indicator distances are n'iaintained, but distorted from front to rear to illustrate the system of transposition used in the indicator setting mechamsm.

Fig. 5 detail view, partly in section, showing the vflexible indicator drive and the manner of mounting the indicator and its drive pinion.

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are detail views of the set ting mechanism for the front and rear indicators for the units of cents, units t dollars and the thousand dollar denominations, respectively.

Before entering into a description of the invention, it is thou ht best to describe briefly the key controlled differential mechanism incorporated in the type of machine to which the invention is applied. This diil'er ential mechanism fully illustrated and described in appl'icants copending applications enumerated above, and to which reference may be had for a full and complete understanding of the machine of which this invention is an improvemen.

Seve al banks of amount keys 30 (Fig. l) are provided, the keys of each bank being slidably mounted in a t ame 31 supported on cross rods 34L and 85 extending between the main side frames of the machine, one only of which is shown. The amount to be registered and indicated is set up on the keyboard by depressing the corresponding keys. hleans (not shown) retains the keys 30, when depressed, in such positions, and upon the release of the depressed keys 30, springs 86 1e store them to their normal undepressed positions.

The keys 30, when depressed, inter-pose their inner ends in the paths of dillerontially movable toothed adding segments 37, one for iach bank of keys 30, pivoted on a roc shaft 38 jonrnaled in the side frames of the machine. The keys, when depressed, also displace zero stop pawls -:l-'l in the (-orrcspomling banks, which pawls normally prevent the advance of the adding segments 37. A rest aining and restoring rod 214) carried by arms 40, only one of which is snown, fast on the rock sha' t 38, normally restrains the adding segments 87 against the influence of springs 4i? which tend to advance the segments. At the proper time in the operation of the machine, cams 48 and 19 (Fig. 2) fast 011 a drive shaft 50 journaled in the machine side frames, rock a bell crank is or 5.1 pivoted on a stud -l($ projecting laterally lr'om the side frame 32, lirst in counter-clocl-cwise direction and then in clockwise direction to normal. through a. constant path of travel Teeth 52 on one arm of the bell crank lever 51 mesl with teeth 53 on a disk 5% secured to one oil the arms 40 to rock said arms and the restraining and restoring rod l'irst clockwise and then counterclockwise back to home position. As the cams l8 and il) rock the restraining and restoring rod 39 in clockwise direction, the adding segments 37 in those denominations wherein keys 80 have been depressor advance with the i,-es;raining and restoring rod 89 under the influence of their respective springs 4&7, until arrested dili erentially by the inner ends of the depressed keys 30, or by zero stop pawls ii in the banks wherein ke s 30 have not been depressed. The restrainin and restorii rod 39, however, completes its full clock e stroke.

Broad pinions 55, (Fig. l) pivoted on a rod 56, carried by arms 5i, only one of which is shown, fast on a sl aft 58 journaled in the machine side It 'ames, mesh with the adding segments 3? and also with companion indicator segments also pivoted on the rock shaft 38, one riongside of each adding ment 3?, to 11m mally connect the adding ments 3? witn the ini'licator segments However, at the beginning oi the operation of the machine, and just before the adcing segments 37 commence their clockwise movement, mechanism (not shown) rocks the onnecting pinions out of mesh with the pairs of con'ipanion segments fl? and 59 to disconnect said segments so that when the sprints +l7 advance the adding segments 3"? clockwise under the control of the rest aining and restoring rod 35) the imlicator se' nents 59 will ions to which 7 temporarily ren'iain in the pot they were adj usted on the previous operation. The l 'aining and restoring rod ill), on its clockwise movement, iichs up the dill'crentially positioned indicator segments 59 tlirom the various positions to which they were ad- 'justed on the previous operation and restores them to their home pos tions (Fig. l.) at the limits of their clockwise travel. After all ol? the indicator segments '39 have been advanced to their home positions by the restraining and restoring rod 39, and the adding segments 37 have been dili'crentially set under the control of their particular keys ill) depressed in their respective banks, 0 arrested against advance by their zero stop arms 4:1, the pinions 55 rock into mesh with their respective pairs of companion segments 33'? and 5!) to again connect these segments. in

Now, when the cams it and ell) rock the restraining and restoring r: d 35/ cmliiter-clockwise to its home position, the rod restores the dili'erentially advanced adding segments 37 to their normal positions, and the scgn nts 37, through the pinions on, will rock the corresponding indicator segments 55) like distances, equal, in steps of movement, to the value of the particinar keys 34) depressed. Thus, the indicator segments 5!) are dilierentially positioned according to the value of the keys depressed. in the several banks o'l. keys.

The denominational indicator segments 50 mesh with their i,'es )ecti e gears (36, each of which is secured to the inner end of a particular tube of a nest of tubes 67 surrounding a shaft 68 supported in the side frames 32. Type wheels (not shown) are driven by gears (also not shown) mounted on the outer ends of the tubes 67 to print the amounts as entered in the. machine. The parts remain in the several positions to which they have been adjusted under control of the keys de pressed, until the next succeeding operation of the machine when the restraining and restoring rod 39, on its clockwise travel, restores the indicator segments 59 and gears 66 to their respective home positions.

The differential mechanism above described is old in the art and forms a part of the present invention only insofar as it cooperates with the novel indicator setting mechanism now to be described.

The indicating mechanism is almost invariably arranged in the upper part of the machine within a dome conveniently formed by the side frames 32 of the machine and the cabinet 65 encasing the machine. )Videning the distance between the side frames 32 to accommodate front and rear indicator rollers arranged in axial alignment and correspond-' ing denominat-ionally with the full denominational keyboards of the prior machines of this type, was not only highly impractical from manufacturing and financial considerations, but also would have merely substituted another problem to be overcome. Such solution would have left considerable space between the keyboard and the side frames, in-

i creasing the size of the machine and making it less compact and less easily handled. And if such space was filled with additional mechanism to increase the keyboard capacity of the former machines, the old problem of indicating in front and back to such increased capacity would be immediately restored.

But an increase in the breadth of the dome from front to back necessitates merely a redesign of the cabinet which is a comparatively simple matter, and enables the roller indicators to be arranged in two rows side by side and parallel with the front and back of the machine, andpermits the use of a number of indicators in each row equal to the number of denominational banks of keys in the machine. The broadened dome of the cabinet is apertured as at 63, 64 to render visible the indicators in the front and rear rows or groups, respectively.

The indicators 77 et al., composing the 7 front group, are rotatably mounted individually on a shaft extending between and journaled in irregularly shaped brackets 7.1 and 7 2 (Fig. 4), secured to the respective side fr ames 32 of the machine. The indicators 90 et a1. comprising the back group are similarly mounted on a shaft 73 parallel with the front shaft 70 and also journaled in brackets 71 and 7 2.

It is to be understood that there is a bank of amount keys 30 and a differential mechanism, as just described, for each set of two (front and back) of the amount indicators (Fig. 4) and a bank of transaction keys and a differential mechanism, such as illustrated in Fig. 1, for the transaction indicators, the first indicator on the right in each group, front and back, (Fig. 4), being the transaction indicators.

Indicator setting mechanism interposed between the indicator segments 59 and the parallel groups of roller indicators in the dome of the cabinet 65, simultaneously sets corresponding indicators in the groups of indicators.

The roller indicators and the indicator settling mechanism therefor, appearing in Fig. 1, are associated with the tens of dollars bank of keys. Before. proceeding with a description of the system of transposition illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 4, a description of the manner of setting the tens of dollars indicators will be given. a

The roller indicators are all flexibly driven to relieve strain and shock thereon due to the rapid movement and sudden stopping of the differential mechanism, and since the individual flexible driving mechanism for each of the indicators is identical, a detailed description of one of the roller indicators and 4 its flexible driving means is thought to be sufficient. V

The gear '66 (Fig. 1) rotated by the differential mechanism under the control of the tens of dollars amount keys 30, meshes with and rotates amutilated gear 7 4 on a shaft 75 journaled in the brackets 71 and 7 2. The mutilated gear 74 meshes with and rotatesa pinion 76 on the front indicator shaft 70 and,

through the flexible drive mentioned above,

rotates the tens of dollars roller indicator 77 to display the amount set up the depressed keys 30. I

Owing to weight of the indicator bodies and the high speeds at which they are rotated,

they acquire considerable momentum and the sudden application of power to the pinions 7 6, 95 coupled with the sudden arrest of the indicators, places a great deal of wear on the toothed connections, for which reason, means, in the form of flexible drive connections, is provided to take up or cushion the shock of suddenly starting and stopping the indicator bodies, and relieve the toothed members of a part of the jar.

f Such flexible drive connection includes a hub 78 (Figs. 3 and 5), the flange 79 of which is secured to the web 80 of the roller indicator body 77. The hub 78 is rotatably mountedon the hub 81 of the pinion 76, substantially as illustrated in Fig. 5, the two hubs being telescoped on the supporting shaft. A stud 86 projecting laterally from a disk 87 secured to the side of the pinion 76, extends between the ends of a tensioned spring 88 coiled about 7 ithe indicator hub 78, and a similar stud 89 parallel with the stud S6 and projecting later: lly from the flange 79 on the indicator hub 78, also extends between the ends of the spring 88 to retain it under tension. This arrangement, as is clearly ilhtst 'ated in Figs. 3 and 5', permits of movement of the roller indicator 77 in either direction relatively to the pinion 76, the spring 88, however, normally restraining the roller indicator ET in and returning it to a constant position rel tively to its pinion 70. When the mechanism started suddenly from a position of rest, the stud S6 in the driving die; 87 suddenly tensions the spring 88 against the inertiav of the indicator 7?, which lags slightly at the beginning of the movement. lVhen the pinion 76 is brought to a sudden stop at the time when the roller indicator in its rotation, has brought the ccted indica to th sight opening, the spring 88 absorbs the shock incident to the instant arre of the speed and momentum of the roller ndicator, thereby eliminating undue stress and strain on the indi tater T7 and its web 80, and relieves the pinion 76 and mutilated gear 7 of this duty.

Such flexible drive is necessitated by the extreme rapidity with which the roller ndi. 'ators must under way in turning from one to another of their adjusted positions and more particularly in view of the sud h 1 arrest to which the wheels are subjected when at full speed, and accumulated momen trm.

Experiment has proven that the siuilon starting speed coupled with the violei arrest of the roller ind caters upon their ar giar 74 rotates an intormeoia-ce 91 en a shaft 92 journaled in the brackets 71 and The gear 91, through a double sector-gm 93 mounted to rock on a shaft ill in the b "ackets 71 and 72, rotate 05 on the rear indicator shaft '13, ioii through a flexible connection like that shown in Figs. and 5, adjusts the rear indicator 90 for the tens of dolla '51 hard. of amount keys to correspond with the istment of the front indicator. 'lhus c seen that the differential mechanism, through the train of gears just deer l b-ed, and t irough the flexible drives, similtai'ieously the tens of dollars r' x lle i idicators 77 and ill) to display the i eprc: ntative character of the key depressed in the tens of dollars bank of keys.

The other denominational front roller iudicators are directly set by mu dated g ars simliar to the gear 7 1 associagcd with tens of dollars indicator setting mechanisn (see Fig. 1). But the mechanisms for setting each of the rear roller indi aters are peculiar to the roller indicators of individual denominations, therefore, the setting mechanism for each of these indicators will be separately described.

The mechanisi'n whereby the front roller indicator 96 (Fig. 6), and the roller indicator 97 for the units of cents rank of numeral keys are simultaneously set, is illustrated in Figs. 4- and (3. As viewed in i 6, the gear (56 for this denomination drives a mutilated gear 98 on tl e shaft Ti) and the gear 98, in turn, drives a pinion 99, which, through a flexible drive, as described above in connection with the tens of dollars indicator, sets the front units of cents denominze tional indicator In this ca F0, hmvevcr, the mutilated gear 98 does not rotate an in termediate gear on the shaft 92, the teeth on such mutilated gear which would normally mesh with such an i termediate gear, being omitted. The pinion 99 for the indicator W3 is fast on the front indicator shaft 70, which shaft is thereby set in accordance with indicator 96. A pinion 100, fast on the sh to the left of the group of front roller indicators, as viewed in Fig. i, rocks a mutilated gear 101 jouri aled on the shaft to the e treme left of the series of mutilated gears. said gear 101 being exactly like the mutilated gear 741 (Fig. 1) for the tens of dollars indicator setting mechanism. The multilated gear 101 meshes with and rotates an i utermediate gear 102 journaled on the raft 92, which intermediate gear rocks a double scetor-gear 103 journaled on the shaft t i and this sector-gear rotates a pinion 10: to set the rear mits roller indicator 97. A flexible drive, such is described above in connection with the tens of dollars indicators, is aranged between the pinion 104C and the rear roller indicator 97.

The setting mechanism for the tens of cents roller indicators is essentially the same as that for the tens of dollars denomination described above, *Xcepting that two intermediate gears 113 and 114, are fast on the shaft 52 to transpose the setting of the gear (36 for this denominational bank of keys to the rear in dicator therefor. This mechanism does not appear in the drawing in elevation, and will therefore be described in connection with Fig. 4.

The gear 66 (not shown) for the tens of cents denominational keys 30 drives a mutilated gear 110 (Fig. l) which latter meshes with a pinion 111 journaled on the indicator shaft '70 to set up the front roller indicator 112, and with a gear 113 fast on the shaft 92. Another gear 11% (Fig. 4:) also fast on the shaft 92, rocks a double sector-gear 1153 on the shaft 9st and this sector gear rotates a pinion 116 on the rear indicator shaft 73 to the rear tens of cents rolle indicator 117. There is a flexible drive, such as previously described, between the gear 111 and indicator 112,'and also betweenthe gear 116 and indicator 117.

The units of dollars indicator setting gears and segments are shown in Fig. 7. In this case, the denominational gear 66 for this denomination sets the front roller indicator 120 through the mutilated gear 121, a pinion 122 and a flexible drive described above. and also rotates an intermediate gear 123 journaled on the shaft 92, just as described above in connection with the tens of dollars indicator. The intermediate gear 123 meshes with a toothed segment 124 fast on the shaft 94, so that'rotation of the gear 123 by the mutilated gear 121 and the gear 66, rotates the toothed segment 124 and the shaft 94, which,

through another toothed segment 125 also fast on said shaft, rotates an indicator pinion 126, which latter pinion through a flexible drive, sets up the back roller indicator 127 for the units of dollars denomination.

The means for setting the tens of dollars indicators (see Fig. 1) 77 and 90 is fully described above, for which reason no description thereof is necessary at this time.

The hundreds of dollars indicators are set in a manner practically the same as are the indicators for the tens of dollars denomination. The gear 66 (not shown) for this particular denomination, drives a mutilated gear 131 (Fig. 4) on the shaft 75. This mutilated gear rotates an indicator pinion 132 ournaled on the front indicator shaft and operates a flexible drive, previously described,

to set the front roller indicator 133 for the hundreds of dollars denomination. The gear 131 also rotates an intermediate gear 134 on the shaft 92, which intermediate gear rocks a double sector-gear 135, which, in turn, ro-

tates a pinion 136 faston the rear indicator shaft 73 to thereby rotate this shaft, and an indicator pinion 137 also fast onthe shaft 7 3, V which pinion 137, by a flexible drive,,sets the rear tens of dollars indicator 138. r

. Figure 8 shows the gearing for setting the indicator for the thousands of dollars denomination.- In this figure, the gear 66 for this denominational bank of keys drives a mutilated gear 140. In this case, however, this mutilated gear is fast on the shaft which is correspondingly rocked. The mutilated gear 140 rotates an indicator pinion 141 on the front indicator shaft 70 and operates a flexible drive, previously described to set the front indicator 142 for this denomination. A segment gear 143 fast on the shaft 75 to the right of the mutilated gear 98 for the units of cents denomination, (Fig. 4) rotates an intermediate gear 144 'on the shaft 92, which gearv 144 meshes with a double sectorgear 145 on the shaft94. Thissector gear rotates an indicator pinion 146 on the rear indicator shaft 73 to set up the rear thousands of dollars indicator 47 through the flexible drive mechanism described above.

An additional pair ofroller indicators, 150 for the front and 151 for the rear, (Fig. 4), is provided to indicate the initial or designating character of the clerk operating the machine under the control of the bank of clerks keys (not shown) which are identical with the keys 30 for setting up the amounts. These designating indicators are set by a gear 66 (not shown), which drives a mutilated gear 152 (Fig. 4), intermediate gear 153, double sector-gear 154, indicator pinions 155 and 156 j ournaled on the respective front and back indicator shafts, respectively, and flexible drives, all of which are identical with the analagous parts described above in con-- nection with the tens of dollars denominational indicators 96 and 97 (see Figs. 1 and 4).

It will be'noted that each group of roller indicator mechanisms includes a roller indicator shaft 70 and 73, and a shaft, 75 and 94, to support the mutilated segments, and corresponding double segments,respectively, and that an intermediate shaft 92 is provided to enable the transmission of power from'the mutilated segments to the rear roller indicators.

Also it will be noted that power is transmitted from one to another of each member of the denominational sets of roller indicators, except one, through one or another of the roller indicator shafts 7 O, 73 mutilated segment supporting shaft 75, double segment supporting shaft 94, or intermediate pinion shaft 92, respectively.

Each of the mutilated gears 74, 152, 110, 121, 131, 140, 98 and 101 has a curvilinear slot 157 therein to accommodate an arresting bar'158 extending between the brackets 71 and 72' and adapted to arrest the mutilated gears74 et al. and consequentlythe gears 66, indicator segments 59, and the front roller indicators 74 et al. when the restraining and restoring rod 39 returns the indicator segments to their home positions at the end of the forward stroke.

While this arresting'bar 158 common to all the mutilated gears might be relied upon to arrest the rear roller indicators 90 et al. in

their home positions also, through the intermediate gears 91 et al. and the double segments 93 et al., it is preferred, because of the slight play in the gearing, to provide a similar arresting bar 149 passing through curvilinear slots 148 in the several toothed segments 154, 145, 124', 93, 135, 115 and 103 for this purpose.

Means is provided to align each of the in-' dicators in any of the positions to which they are adjusted by the differential mechanism through the several trains of gears and segments, and under the control of the several banks of keys, one of which banks is shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The aligning mechanism includes a pair of aligner shafts 160 and 161 (Figs. 1 and 4) located intermediate and just above the front and rear indicators, respectively, each shaft having a plurality of identical aligning lingers 162 fast thereon, which lingers co-operate with the indicator pinions 76, 95, etc. to align the indicators 77, 90, etc. in their several positions.

To operate the aligncr shafts 160 and 161 to disengage and then to reengage the aligner lingers 162 with the indicator pinions, a pair of cams 163 and 164, fast on a drive shaft 165 journaled in the side frames 32 rock a bell crank 166 pivoted on a stud 167 projecting laterally from one of the side frames 82, to first lower and then to raise a link 168, one end of which is pivoted to one arm of the bell crank. A laterally projecting stud 169 in the upper end of the link 168 projects into slots formed in the overlapping ends of arms 176 and 171 fast on the aligner shafts 160 and 161 respectively. A slot 177 in the link 168 embraces a tie rod 178, which, in addition to tying the indicator brackets 71 and 72 to gether, serves to guide the link 168 at its upper end.

)Vhen the cams 163 and 164 rock the bell crank 166 clockwise, the link 168 rocks the arm 170 and shaft 160 clockwise to disengage the aligner fingers 162 from the front indicator pinio-ns, and at the same time rocks the arm 171 and shaft 161 eonnter-clockwise to disengage the aligner fingers 162 from the rear indicator pinions. After the indicators have been set by their respective differential i'nechanisms under control of the depressed keys in their respective banks, the cnns 163 and 164 rock the bell crank 166 to raise the link 168 and rock the shafts 160 and 161 in reverse directions to recngage the aligner fingers 162 with their respective indicator pinions, thereby aligning the imlicatort: in their respective adjusted positions.

The machine may be operated either mannally by a crank (not shown) or by an electric motor (also not shown) of any suitable design. When the machine is motor driven, the motor rotates a gear 180 on a stud 181 in the side frame 32 through a clutch mechanism (not shown) of conventional. design. The gear 186 meshes with gears 182 and 18?.- fa t on shafts and respectively. to turn these shafts one complete rotation in counter-clockwise direction at each operation of the machine.

Vh ile the form of mechanism herein shown and described is admirably adapted to fulfill. the objects primarily stated, it is to be understood that it is not intended to confine the invention to the one form or embodiment herein disclosed, for it is susceptible of em- I bodiment in various forms all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

)Vhat is claimed as new, is

1. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a plurality of indicatorsiiipporting shafts; of a set of indi 'ators mounted on each shaft; an auxiliary shaft associated with each indicator-supporting shaft; a set of gear members mounted on each auxiliary shaft to drive their respective indicators on the indicator-silpporting shafts; means to differentially position one set of gear members; and means to transmit motion from the set of differentially positioned gear members to the remaining gear members.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a plurality of indicatorsupporting shafts; of a set of indicators mounted on each shaft; one indicator in each set being fast on its respective shalt; an a u:-:- iliary shaft for each indicator-s1ipporting shaft; separate gear members mounted on each auxiliary shaft to drive their respective indicators on the corresponding imlicatorsupporting shafts; one gear member on each auxiliary shaft being fast to its shaft; means to differentially position the gear members on one of the auxiliary shafts; and means intermediate the auxiliary shafts for tinnsmitting motion from the differentially positioned set of gear members to another set of gear members.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a plurality of indicatorsu n iorting shafts; of a set of indicators mounted on each shaft; one indicator in each set being fast on its respective s o aft; an aux iliary shaft for each indieator-snpporting shaft; separate gear members mounted on each auxiliary shaft to drive their respective ini'licators on the corresponding indicator su morting shaft; one gear member on each auxiliary sl'iaft being to its slmft; means to differentially position the gear members on one of the auxiliary shafts; an intern'imliate shaft; and pinions moimted on the intermedh ate shaft and meshing with the gear members of the an: 'liary shafts to transmit moi ion from the differentially positioned set of gear members to the remaining gear m-cn'ibers, a plurality of pinions being fast on the intermediate shaft.

4;. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a pair of indicatonsupport ing shafts arranged in parallel and. .in substantially the same hor zontal plan a. set of roller indicators mounted on each indicatorsupporting shaft; one roller indicator of each set being fast to its respective indicator-supporting shaft; an auxiliary shaft parallel and associated with each indicator-snpporting shaft; a set of mutilated gears mounted on one of the auxiliary shafts to drive the roller in dicators on the associated indicator-supporting shaft; one of the mutilated gears other than that corresponding with the roller indicator which is fast to its supporting shaft, being itself fast to its auxiliary shaft; means to set of segments mounted on the other of said auxiliary shafts to drive the roller indicators on the associated indicator-supporting shaft;

one of the segments other than that corri-- sponding with the roller indicator which is fast on the associated shaft, being itself fast on the auxiliary shaft; an intermediate shaft and a set of pinions mounted thereon and in mesh with the sets of mutilated gears and seg ments respectively, two of said pinions other than those corresponding with the roller indicators which are fast on their respective indicatortsupporting shafts, being themselves fast on the intermediate shaft.

5. In a machine of the class described, the

combination with a plurality of indicatorsup iiorting shafts; a set of indicators mounted on each indicator-supporting shaft; an auxiliary shaft associated with each indicator-supporting shaft; an intermediate shaft; a set of differentially adjustable members; and trains of gearing mounted on the auxiliiary shafts and the intermediate shaft, certain of which operate toturn the auxiliary shafts, the indicator-supporting shafts and the intermediate shaft, to transmit motion from the differentially adjusted members to the respective sets of indicators.

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a plurality of sets of rotatt able indicators; a pinion associated with each indicator and means to variously position the individual indicators; of means to detain the roller indicators where adjusted, comprising a set of detents for each set of indicators, a rotatable shaft for each set of detents, the shafts adapted to rock their respective sets of detents into and out of engagement with the pinions of their associated indicators; arms projecting from each detent shaft towards the other and overlapping at their free ends; the overlapping ends of the arms having registering slots formed therein; a link; means to reciprocate the link; a. stud carried by the link and passing through the registering slots to rock the sets of detents simultaneously into and out of engagement with their respective pinions.

7. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a suitable support;'of a rotatable indicator comprising an indicator body having a hub journaled on the support, said indicator being rotatable in two directions; a disk having a hub arranged concentric with the hub of the indicator body; a flexible connection between the disk and the indicator body constructed to flexibly drive the indicator in either direction; and means to drive the disk. 7

8. In a machine of the class described, the

combination with a suitable support; of a rotatable indicator comprising an indicator body having a hub journaled on the support,

said indicator being rotatable in two direcdons a disk havin a hub arran ed concentricwith the hub of the indicator body; the hubs being telescoped; a resilient connection between the disk and the indicator body constructed to resiliently drive the indicator in either direction; and means to drive the disk.

9. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a suitable support; of a rotatable indicator comprising an indicator body having a hub j ournaled 0n the support; a disk having a hub arranged concentric with the hub of the indicator body; a spring encircling the hubs; pins projecting towards each other from the indicator body and from the disk, respectively, the respective endsof the spring embracing the pins betweenthem; and means to drive the disk.

10. In a machine of the class described, the combination with an indicator body rotatable in different directions; and a suitable support therefor; of a flanged hub for the indicator body; a driving disk having a. hub upon which the flanged hub rotates; means on the flanged hub and on the driving disk projecting laterally from each and toward the other; a resilient device cooperating with said means to rotate the indicator body in either direction upon operation of the driving disk; and means to operate said disk.

11.v In a machine of the class described, thecombination with. an indicator body rotatable indifferent directions; and a suitable support therefor; of a flanged hub for the indicator body; a driving disk having a hub upon which the flanged hub rotates; a resilient device positioned between said flanged hub and the driving disk; and means connected to the flanged hub and to the driving disk to cooperate with said resilient device to drive the indicator body in either direc tion.

12. In a machine of the class described, the

combination with a plurality of indicator supports; of a set of indicators on each support; auxlhary means associated with each indicator support, each auxiliary means carrying a set of devices to drive their respective indicators; means associated with one set of devices to differentially position the same; and means to transmit motion from the differentially positioned set of devices to the remaining set of devices.

13. In a machine of the class described, the

combination with a plurality of indicator supports; of a set of indicators mounted on each support, certain indicators of each group but of different denominational orders being secured to its respective support; an auxiliary indicator-actuator support associated with each set of indicators; a set of denominational indicator-actuators mounted on each auxiliary support, certain of the actuators of different denominational orders being secured to said auxiliary supports, said certain actuators being of different denominational orders than the above-mentioned certain indicators; means to differentially position one set of indicatoractuators to drive its associated set of indicators differentially; and a third support carrying a plurality of de nominational means to connect the sets of denominational indicator-actuators, certain of said denominational connecting means being secured to the last mentioned support, said certain denominational means being 01 different denominations than said certain denominational actuators and said certain denominational indicators, all of the denominational actuator-connecting means acting to transmit motion from the dififerentially driven set of indicator actuators to another set of indicator actuators.

14. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a plurality of indicator supports; 01 a set of indicators mounted on each support said indicators being arranged in pairs, one indicator of each set and of unlike pairs being secured to its respective support; means including sets of indicator actuators to transmit movements of like extent from one set of indicators and from one support to the other set of indicators and to the other support to drive the indicators of each pair to the same extent; and means to differentially position one set of indicator actuators to determine the extents to which the pairs of indicators are to be driven.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

WVILLIAM I-I. ROBERTSON. 

